T&T accepts invitation for talks in Jamaica on immigration issue
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) – Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar has welcomed the move by Jamaica to hold talks on the issue involving the deportation of 13 Jamaican nationals saying she had advised Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Dookeran to accept the invitation from his counterpart to travel to Kingston to discuss the matter.
“A letter…of invitation from Jamaica and I have advised him to accept the invitation and to go to Jamaica and speak with his counterparts there,” Persad Bissessar said.
Dookeran later told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) that he expects the meeting would take place as soon as all the necessary logistics were in place.
Earlier this week, Jamaica’s Foreign Minister AJ Nicholson said “the number of Jamaicans being returned from Trinidad and Tobago had generated considerable public outrage and had the potential to undermine confidence and diminish goodwill on the part of many Jamaicans towards Trinidad and Tobago and the wider regional integration movement.
“I believe that our personal intervention and collaboration can go a far way in bringing this issue to a speedy and successful conclusion,” Nicholson said, adding “this is of the utmost importance as a regional integration movement which does and is perceived as protecting and advancing the interests of all sides is vital to the progress of our regional enterprise.”
He said he hoped the talks would take place before year end.
Media reports had indicated that the 13 Jamaicans were denied entry into Port of Spain on Tuesday last week and deported to their homeland the following day after being detained.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jamaica has since issued a warning to Jamaicans travelling to Trinidad and Tobago saying it was also “concerned at this development and continues to interface with the relevant authorities in Trinidad and Tobago on the matter” particularly in light of the Shanique Myrie ruling by the Caribbean Court of Justice”.
The CCJ earlier this year ruled that Barbados had breached the right of Myrie when she sought entry into the country in 2011, but stopped short of awarding the one million Barbados dollars in compensation she had sought.
Myrie, 25, had been granted leave by the CCJ to file the action, alleged that when she travelled to Barbados on March 14, 2011 she was discriminated against because of her nationality, subjected to a body cavity search, detained overnight in a cell and deported to Jamaica the following day.
Jamaica said it was urging nationals who believe their rights under the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) regime have been breached, to make a report to the Jamaican High Commission or the Foreign Affairs Ministry.
While referring to the CCJ ruling, Persad-Bissessar said although there was a provision for granting CARICOM nationals an automatic six-month stay upon entry, there were certain exceptions to the rule.
“There is no blanket acceptance of a CARICOM national coming into Trinidad and Tobago,” she said, adding that from her understanding of the judgment, immigration officials may refuse a CARICOM national entry if the individual is blacklisted or if they suspect that they (the individual) would be a “charge on the public purse.
“There is a procedure that should be followed if one is refused entry, so we are looking into all of that with a view of upholding the law as pronounced upon by the CCJ,” said Persad Bissessar.
Dem waan talk now???? Mek dem gwey, dem shoulda get banned from dem wouldnt allow wi good, good patties in dem country.
A gwan like dem betta dan wi cause dem a tief Venezuela oil. Gwey Kamla n company
uneducated comment… like really.. where u get ur facts ?!?!?!
@ 10:36 don’t even bother to look at that comment because empty barrels (which we would gladly use to fill with oil and export) make the most noise. Since is Venezuela oil they are stealing go stop them nuh, frigging idiot.
Oh so u n Ms Saucy waan trace off mi draws, I REPEAT YES DEM PRODUCTS SHOULDA GET BANNED FROM COUPLE YEARS AGO WHEN TRINIDAD REFUSED TO ALLOW JAMAICAN PATTIES IN2 DEM COUNTRY. AND YES is Vnezuela oil…………in case onoo EDUCATED ppl neva kno, Venezuela n Tinidad share borders. Ye is Venezuela Oil. Onoo come beat mi uneducated raas now!
You know say you’re a real jack ass though. Explain to me how the two ISLANDS sharing borders. As I said before, since is Venezuela oil make them stop Trinidad from drilling also come make them use your empty frigging head as barrel and full it up of oil.
dem tink a cool breeze :hammer
Dem shoulda detain him ah di Jamaica airport, give him a body cavity search, ANAL NO LUBE, mek him sleep inna di airport overnight pon di tough chair dem, den ship him Trinni rass right backa Trinidad!
Only way fi mek people see dem wrongs is fi gi dem ah dose ah dem owna medicine!
A now dem want talk when di heat tun up under dem nasty rass
this only a happen because all them coolie muthaf**kas that own all them business that going to lose money from a Jamaican boycott make them issue this statement.
if money never did a go get shortened they would ignore this like them and BARGAYDOS a do from jump. make them pocket feel it. all they see Jamaica as is as a market fi sell. nothing else.
Mi say mi no like discriminate but the coolie dem no easy eee no
While Madam Persad-Bissessar a look inna di matter, JA fi still ban all a dem product, an tap allow dem fi buy out Yard. Di Railway Company whey wi did ‘ave belong to Trinidad!!!!! Di dutty stinkin politicians dem from both sides walk and sell out piece piece a di island,,,dat mi nuh sure ef nuttin lef. One day wi ago wake up an de motto “Out of many, one country” ago change to “Own by many, everybady country” Yuh see like how dem a frig wid di Haitians dem…mi feel seh a time Yawd bond wid dem, welcome dem wid open arms and mek dem help wi beat out dem whatsitclaat!!